2013 Ford Fusion’s rear end designed to reduce repair costs 13 percent

The 2013 Ford Fusion has been designed to be more friendly with the owner’s wallet in case of a rear-end collision.

Compared to the outgoing 2012 Fusion, Ford says the new Fusion saves $267 in repair costs to replace the rear bumper cover and panel assembly on its rear decklid.

Ford also forecasts 2013 Fusion low-speed rear-end repair costs to be 3 percent lower than Toyota Camry and 27 percent cheaper than Nissan Maxima. Rear-end collision repair costs are more significant than other body parts for replacement because they are most likely to need to be replaced. Statistically, rear-end collisions are among the most frequent accidents.

“Our analysis shows approximately 19 percent of Fusion collisions involve a rear impact. The new decklid integration panel should reduce repair costs in low-speed rear-end collisions by about 13 percent compared to the 2012 Fusion. This should deliver real savings to drivers in densely populated markets where parking can be a challenge,” said Larry Coan, Ford Customer Service Damageability Engineer.

Lower repair costs can positively impact insurance rates. An integration panel is mounted to the rear face of the Fusion decklid. In the event of a low-speed impact, this panel is designed to absorb the brunt of low-speed damage that might occur in an urban parking situation.